


Candy Topped Sundae

by raak (raak1101)



Category: OMORI (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, I hereby christen this ship Starburst, Post-Ending, Romance, good ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-19 02:00:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29867436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raak1101/pseuds/raak
Summary: Kim needs a fake date for a work event. But all she managed to get was Sunny. It'll have to do.Part of the Rare Pairs Collaboration in Discord
Relationships: Kim/Sunny (OMORI)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 46
Collections: OMORI Collaboration: Rare Pairs





	Candy Topped Sundae

Kim plopped onto the sofa unceremoniously. Vance paid his sister no attention, prioritizing his game over his sister. Like any good brother would do. Kim understands.

The girl groaned.

See? She was already agreeing.

Kim groaned louder.

He sighed. "Wanna talk about it?" he asked, continuing playing. He was a grown ass man capable of multitasking. Besides, he reached a lull in the game.

The groaning continued.

"You need a hug? You look like you need a hug. Let me hug you."

Kim flew off her spot on the sofa, to the edge, hissing a warning at her brother. "Touch me and I cannot promise your arms remain attached."

Vance, arms open for a hug, tilted his head. Then waved his wrists, asking for a hug himself. Kim's defenses crumbled and she submitted to her brother's affection, mock crying on his shoulder.

"Why didn't we open a candy shop like we said we would!?" She whined and mumbled.

"There, there," he patted her back. "Rough day at your internship?"

"My colleagues are all idiots!" She complained. "Why did I think programming was a viable career choice?"

"I thought you liked your career choice."

"The career is fine! It's the people that are the problem! It's not even six and it feels like I've been awake for two days straight!"

"…Sis, it's almost seven. Today's Daylight Saving Time."

…

"FUUUUUUU-"

"Wanna talk about it?"

Falling back and resting on the sofa, Kim launched into a diatribe of her shitty day at work. How the clients were idiots asking for square red circles colored blue. How she was twice as likely to be the butt of a joke. How her coworkers and a couple of her superiors tasked her with the most menial tasks. And it wasn't because she was an intern. She double checked with the other poor saps stuck in the unglamorous echelon; she was given the shit jobs.

Worst of all were the personal questions. Did she have a boyfriend? No. Why? Because no. Wanna go out for some coffee. Also no. Some of her coworkers were gracious enough to leave it at that, taking a 'No' for what it was. Others didn't, and she wanted so badly to regress to her delinquency years, consequences be damned.

But she couldn't. So she did the best next thing and groaned, confident Vance would comfort her.

"Why not quit the job?"

"I can't," she muttered. "This is the hottest internship. It’s paid. The company is reputable. And the hours are flexible with my classes. And even doing grunt work, I'm learning a ton."

"Just know that if you ever want to open a candy shop, I'm all for it."

Kim nodded, thankful. Even if it wasn’t realistic right at the moment. She hadn't endured almost an entire college degree to drop it at the last stretch. At least the week was over. Her work was a distant memory for the next two days.

The ringing of her cellphone threatened otherwise. She dared to look at the caller ID. And she was punished for it.

"My supervisor," she deadpanned. "Of course."

"You have problems with your boss?" Vance asked, pausing the game. That was much more serious in his eyes.

"No, no. He's fine. It’s just I don't want to deal with anything work related. Hopefully it's something simple… like the servers caught fire and I'm the only one available."

"Simple?" Vance questioned.

"Hey, I'll take it if it means I get better tasks." She sat up and answered. "Good afternoon?"

_"Kimberly! Glad I could catch you. Heard you were late today."_

Kim cringed. "Yeah… forgot to change my alarm…"

_"Don't worry. Happens to the best of us. I'm actually calling to see if you got the memo about the company's anniversary party."_

No. She didn't. "First time hearing that."

_"It was announced today during a brief morning meeting. You missed it. There's going to be a party in two weeks. Formal stuff. You can bring a plus one. Just making sure you knew. It's troublesome, I know, but the higher ups do like seeing people go to these activities and get to know them. Not to tout my own horn, but I've gotten quite a few up-and-coming devs get on their good grace. It could really help you."_

"I see..."

_"That's all. I figured nobody told you. Have a nice weekend."_

The call ended. Kim dropped her phone. She looked at the ceiling. Blankly.

The she let out a drawn out "FUUUUUU-"

-o-

Aubrey finally made it to her kitchen, panting heavily as she leaned on the counter for support, placing the machete she carried on it.

Behind it, Basil raised a brow is askance as he prepared coffee.

"Basil… sweetie… when I suggested we move together… I DIDN'T MEAN YOU AND THE ENTIRE AMAZON RAINFOREST!"

Basil sheepishly laughed as he finished the last touches, letting the coffee brew. "Kel did mention how my gardening hobby is getting out of control."

"Somehow I feel you're understating it," Aubrey muttered. Her phone rang. Quickly glancing at the caller ID, she answered. "Yo, Kim."

_"AUBREY! Lend me Basil!"_

The pink-loving girl looked up at her boyfriend, who was currently serving her a cup just the way she loved it. God bless his soul.

The answer to Kim's request was simple. "Not happening."

_"What!? Why?"_

"I love you Kim, but I know you. I don't trust you from falling for Basil's boyish charms. He's mine. I'll kill anyone who tries to make it otherwise, change my name to Francheska, and be well on my way to Panama before the cops even realize something is amiss."

_"I knew you'd come around to my 'Aubrey snaps' contingency."_

Aubrey accepted the offered coffee cup. "Yup." She drank, almost melting to the flavor. "On that note, I also don't trust you to return Basil to me even if you don't steal him. Knowing you, I fully expect he'll wake up in a safehouse on Switzerland. What do you need him for, anyways?"

Kim explained her dilemma to Aubrey, with Basil half-listening, out of curiosity.

"You really think having a date will stop your coworkers from bothering you? Why not just report them to HR?"

_"My internship ends in three months and no one has been bad enough for me to take the nuclear option. I rather not burn bridges on a whim."_

Aubrey sighed. "Cannot say I agree, but you'd know better. Even if I was comfortable with Basil playing your date, he has a business trip that weekend, so that's a no go."

_"Damn it!"_

"Why not ask any of your friends?" Basil chimed in. Aubrey looked up, eyes widening in realization. She put the phone on speaker, prompting Basil to speak up.

"Hey Kim."

_"Basil! Dump your job and help a sister out!"_

"Haha, sorry."

_"Goshdangit!"_

"Why don't you ask your other friends. You keep contact with everyone, right?"

 _"We do,"_ Kim admitted. _"but I don't know who to ask."_

"How about The Maverick?" Aubrey chimed in.

 _"Have you met his girlfriend by any chance?"_ Kim asked.

"No," Aubrey and Basil answered in unison.'

_"Yeah, I thought so. Let's just say Mikhael hasn't heard what they say about crazy girls"_

"Angel?" Aubrey suggested.

_"Too young. Barely an adult. I rather not having people gossiping about dating freshmen."_

Fair enough. "Charlene?" Basil asked.

They heard Kim hissed through the phone. "I… Charlene is a good girl. I rather not put her through the grinder like that. There's way too much that can wrong."

Aubrey groaned. She couldn't even blame it on Kim's job being shitty. That was just people in general being shitty.

"Want me to go as your date?" Aubrey offered. It wasn't ideal. She knew Kim had a crush on her when they were teens. One Aubrey couldn't reciprocate.

 _"…I rather not,"_ Kim answered solemnly. Aubrey didn't blame her.

"I think that just leaves Vance," Basil said, "and he's…"

_"My brother. Yeah, I know. Hey, what about your friends? What's Kel doing nowadays?"_

"Dating that artist girl. Minnie or something," Aubrey answered.

"Mincy," Basil corrected, picking his own phone as a ping caught his attention. "And I'd advise against that plan of action. If you think Mikhael's girlfriend is scary, Mincy will draw you a picture of what will happen to you if you mess with her man."

_"Of for god's sake. Is everyone in Faraway dating people from Faraway? What is it with this incestuous BS?"_

"Maybe only people from Faraway can understand our pain?" Aubrey said. She looked at her boyfriend. "How about Hero?"

"We're not convinced he's alive," Basil explained, lazily texting in his phone. "Nobody has heard of him since he began his residency. Not even Kel. And the letters and text message don't sound very Hero-like"

_"Darn. A doctor would have looked very good next to me."_

Basil frowned. Then widened his eyes. "What about Sunny?" He turned his phone and showed it to Aubrey.

 _"What about Sunny?"_ Kim echoed.

Aubrey grinned. She looked down at her own phone. "What about Sunny? What do you think of him?"

_"He's ok, I guess? Haven't really seen him since that summer ages ago. Wait? Is he free? He'll be willing to play my date?"_

"Um… I…. can convince him" Basil said. "He'll probably… um… be up to it."

Aubrey snorted. "Sunny is a riot. You'll have fun. Just a fair warning, Kim. Sunny… is not exactly inconspicuous. Even if you somehow convince him to drop the eyepatch, he would still have a fake eye and a scar."

_"Does he mind people asking?"_

"He… doesn't," Basil admitted. "Though he has a… weird sense of humor."

"Sunny's sense of humor has always been skewed," Aubrey pointed out. "You'll like it."

"Yes," Basil looked at his girlfriend warily, "but it's weirder for this. Just be prepared, Kim."

_"Fuck it. I'll take it. Might even help me stand out. Can you arrange a meeting?"_

Aubrey looked at Basil, who nodded. Aubrey spoke up. "Yeah, we can manage. Next weekend?" Basil nodded again. "Next weekend. Sounds good?"

_"Better than I hoped. Thanks, Aubrey. Basil."_

-o-

Kim kept fiddling with her coffee cup, waiting anxiously for Sunny. She received a text from Aubrey telling her Sunny would meet her at this coffee shop. Well… here she was. She hadn't seen Sunny since he moved away from Faraway. It wasn't a big deal. Outside of distant memories of when they were classmates and those three days Sunny spent helping everyone in town, she didn't know much about the boy. A great deal of her trust was based on both Aubrey and Basil vouching for him.

She was so distracted that she missed when the object of her distraction sat opposite of her.

"Berly."

Kim nearly jumped out of her skin. "Sweet Jesus. Sunny? When did you… Ugh, forget it. Don't scare me like that." Her mind caught up with Sunny's words. "Wait. What did you call me?"

She carefully took in the appearance of the boy in front of her. Just like Basil, time had been kind to Sunny. Given the state of his health back when they were kids, that wasn't a hard achievement. Even ignoring that, Sunny wasn't bad looking. His only real, objectively negative feature was the black eyepatch. And even then, some people would argue it added to the mystery.

"Berly." Sunny said. "Basil filled me in. I figure a pet name would sell our relationship better."

"And you choose Berly… how long have you been sitting on that one."

"I… don't know." Sunny admitted. "When was our first class together? Fifth grade? Sixth?"

Kim pinched her nose. "Aubrey did warn me you have an overactive imagination. Just call me Kim. Kimmy as an absolute last resort."

"Pity," Sunny solemnly said, but nodded. He reached for his bag and pulled out a notebook and a pen, quickly opening a blank page and writing on it. "It was third grade, by the way."

"Huh?"

"Third grade. You and I shared homeroom. You were wearing a blue dress with a yellow shirt and red shoes. You had shoulder-length hair back then. No glasses yet. And a bit of a stutter."

Kim gaped. "Wha… How do you remember all of that?"

"I have good memory," Sunny said succinctly, redoubling his focus on the notebook.

She could vaguely recall Aubrey mentioning that detail about Sunny. But this was borderline ridiculous. "What are you doing?"

"Taking notes. I also have my own ideas to share." He flipped through the notebook's pages, revealing quite a few were full of text.

Kim asked for the notebook, taking it as soon as Sunny agreed. She quickly skimmed through it. "Why are you so prepared?"

"My mind wanders a lot. Focusing on a task helps. Spent downtime during week writing."

"There's a contingency plan in case I snap and murder a coworker…"

"I have contingency plans in case anyone snaps and murder somebody else. Would like to say you are special… but you aren't. At least in that aspect. Sorry."

"Not what I mean," Kim mumbled. "Though I would be a hypocrite if I call you out on it. I did the same for the entire gang."

"There is something cursed about Faraway."

Kim chuckled. "Louder for the people in the back. But looking at this, you have the right idea… even if some of these are a bit… daring. Holding hands!? Degenerate!"

"Scandalous is memorable," Sunny emphasized by pointing with his pen. "Aubrey mentioned you might need to impress. People remembers the shameless couple with the side-shave and the eyepatch."

Kim burst into laughter. "You'll get me fired with your degeneracy!" She managed to control her laughter into snickers. "But you have the right of it. We should spend some time getting to know each other to better sell the illusion. Especially before we…pfft, hold hands."

"Hey, hand holding can be lewd. Look." He pulled out a sketchbook and show her a page. A pair of hands were holding.

"Ah, that's cute," Kim said. Given how hard hands were to draw, it was an impressive show of skills.

Sunny turned the page. The same pair of hands were holding.

Kim's cheeks warmed up. "Oh… I… stand corrected." She averted her eyes, her mind wandering and completing the unspoken scene behind the hands holding.

Sunny nodded. "I'll start," He swiftly changed the topic. "If you were stranded on an island and you could only have one friend with you under the threat that you might be forced to eat them for sustenance, who do you choose?"

Kim sent Sunny a flat look. "I'll take the lead on this. What's favorite color?"

-o-

"Let me be your wingman. Your matchmaker. Your Cupid. You meddling Venus. Your nosy Aphrodite. The Rosencrantz to your Guildenstern. The Scooby to your Shaggy. The-"

"Mikhael, stop stalling and pick your character," Vance growled, tired, as Mikhael, once more, went on a spiraling tangent after a losing streak.

"You could be the yeast to his wheat," Angel commented. To his credit, he didn't cower under the withering glare of both Vance and Mikhael. To the side, Charlene remained content to let her friends carry on.

"Alright, nerds," Kim shouted, walking into the living room, dressed to impress. "How do I look?"

The gang gave her a quick look over. She wore a simple green dress. Peppy without being too casual for the occasion. Honestly? It was the jewelry and the heels that sold the ensemble as formal. Mikhael sent her finger guns. Angel a thumbs up. Charlene muttered a "Good."

And Vance looked disapprovingly. "No sister of mine is going out dressed like that. Go back to your room and look uglier."

Kim raised a brow. "Dad asked you to say that, didn't he?"

"I've been sitting on that directive for the last four years. I feel fulfilled."

Kim snorted and browse through her purse, making sure she had everything. "Considered Dad heard and promptly ignored in a bout of belated teenage rebellion. You guys sticking around?"

"Yes." "No." "Maybe."

Kim finished making sure she was ready and faced the three groups; Vance's 'Yes', Angel's and Mikhael's 'No', and Charlene's 'Maybe'.

"So… which one is it?"

"Dude, Kim," Mikhael quickly closed the distance, grabbing Kim by her hands. Smart boy. She would have punched him if he tried to grab the dress. "We're trying to get Vance to leave the apartment and go clubbing. Or bar hopping. Whatever it takes to get him to meet girls."

"I'm fine as it is," Vance protested.

"His favorite bar is Gilliam's and he thinks one of the regulars is cute. Girl with the circular glasses and the trashy romance book. Cannot miss her."

Vance gasped. "Betrayed by my own sister! After the many adventures we had! You monster."

A car horn broke their conversation.

"That must be Sunny. Vance, get your lazy ass out there. You never know when the apocalypse might begin and you'll be forced to bunker in your house indefinitely."

"Dude, she's right," Angel said. "I saw a documentary about how we are one nasty common cold away from total societal collapse!"

Kim walked out of the apartment. It was now up to Mikhael and Angel to drag Vance out. She had no illusions Charlene would pick a side. Exiting the apartment complex, she stopped on her tracks, looking at the girl currently talking through the car window.

"Aubrey?"

Her best friend turned. "Yo, Kim. FYI, I'm crashing at your place."

"Of course you are." Kim walked up to Aubrey and gave her a hug. "Too lonely without Basil."

"She's convinced an alligator move into her house," Sunny said from the driver's seat.

"You saw the size of that bite! Is either that or Kel!"

"It's probably Kel," Sunny mock whispered. "I think he got lost somewhere between the bathroom and the guest room and Basil just assumed he went back home."

"That's ridiculous! I know Basil's plant obsession is out of hands, but we live in a small ass house. Even Kel cannot possibly-"

Sunny's phone rang. He picked it up? "Hello? Hi Mincy. Yeah, we found evidence Kel is still at Basil's. Don't worry, I left him a charged phone somewhere he'll stumble upon. No problem. Take care." Sunny hanged up and looked innocently at the two girls.

…

"I'm crashing at your place." Aubrey reiterated. "You two kids go and have fun. When in doubt, think about what I'd do and absolutely do it."

"Make sure to get Vance out of the house!" Kim yelled as Aubrey retreated. She opened the passenger's door and got in, looking at her 'date'. She had to admit, Sunny cleans up nicely.

"So… Kel?"

"Kel," Sunny nodded. "Surround yourself with interesting people and you'll never be bored." He looked at her, from head to toe. "You look good."

"Thanks," Kim responded. "I'm looking to impress."

"Anyone I should worry about?"

Kim smirked. "Oh, that's good. Act like that and people will truly buy into the jealous boyfriend angle."

"What can I say?" He sighed. "Comes naturally," he muttered.

"Hm?"

"Nothing. You are on radio duty." He gave her a severe look. "I have high expectations. Don't disappoint."

"I won't," Kim winked.

-o-

"I am disappoint."

"Oh, shut it, Sunny. You just have bad tastes. In music and memes. Now shush. Look alive… or at least so recently dead that your body is still warm."

The party's venue was packed. When faced with this, it truly puts things into perspective. She was but one gear in a machine. And a superfluous one at that. She had no doubts she could disappear from the face of the Earth and nobody at her company would even blink. She would be an offhanded comment. A curiosity. A "Hey, remember that girl?" shared over the 9am and 2pm coffee breaks.

She recognized quite a few of the faces, friendly and otherwise. Recognition was two-way, but their curiosity regarding her was quickly overpowered by the one felt over her 'date' for the night. She could hazard a guess why. Her eyes narrowed. Her grip on her pursed tightened. She looked at Sunny, worried.

He looked as cliff-faced as ever. Not an iota of emotion was discernible. Had he not noticed the looks he got? It wasn't like the ladies that welcomed them at the lobby didn't do their fair share of staring.

"Any table you want to sit on?" Sunny asked evenly. Bored, even. Kim had to remember everything Aubrey had shared with her in regards to Sunny. She knew that just because the boy has a tournament winning poker face, it doesn't mean he's unemotional.

"Kimberly! Glad you made it."

Too soon for her liking, she was approached by her direct supervisor. She put on an award-winning smile. "Hello, Mr. Batter!" She looked at the woman next to him. "Good afternoon," she greeted politely.

"Mrs. Batter," her supervisor introduced her wife. He looked at Sunny. "And who's this delightful fellow?"

"Sunny Yumeno," Sunny was quick to introduced himself. Kim wanted to kick herself. She had completely forgotten to ask what was Sunny's last name. "I'm Mrs. Grant's boyfriend."

"I see…" Mr. Batter sent Kim a knowing smirk. Would be nice if the earth swallowed her right now. She had forgotten her supervisor knew about her qualms with her colleagues. "At the risk of intruding into your night, there are some people I want to introduce Mrs. Grant to. Do you mind?"

"It'll be hard to be apart, but I'll survive," Sunny lamented. The ease with which he said that flustered Kim. It was a convincing performance. "The ceviche might fill the gaping hole left behind… but I doubt it." He looked at Kim. Place a gentle hand on her shoulder "See you later?"

"S-sure."

Once Sunny was out of earshot, Mr. Batter commented. "Good actor. You might just be able to pull this off."

"Y-yeah." Why was she stuttering.

"If you call that acting…" the wife said teasingly. It only made Kim blush even more.

She needed a drink before whatever gauntlet awaited her.

-o-

Freed from her social networking duties, Kim quickly searched for Sunny, not trusting the boy to remain out of trouble. She found him quickly enough. As Aubrey said, the boy was anything but inconspicuous.

He was surrounded by a captivated audience of her coworkers. Her stomach dropped. Wasn't Sunny meant to be practically a mute? Why does he have an audience?

She broke through the masses and made it to the front.

"…and then the pigeon pulled a gun on me. I _dove_ behind cover, but the bird was faster on the trigger and got my eye. And that's why now I always carry breadcrumbs with me," he hefted a plastic bag filled with breadcrumbs, "in case the bird mafia ever decides to finish the job."

"What's happening?" Kim asked.

"Hey Kim," Sunny saluted, the bag of bird food flopping carelessly. "You missed my story about how I got kidnapped by the bird mafia. Did you know corvids are the assassins of the birds' underbelly?"

"I thought the story was about how you lost the eye."

Easily thirty plus eyes snapped in unison at the guy.

"Oh, you asked the question?" Sunny asked. Kim shuddered. Why? Because Sunny was smiling. Grinning. And one thing became clear: Sunny didn't know how to smile. At least not without looking manic.

The man who asked the question nodded, properly intimidated. Sunny patted the man on the shoulder, placing the bag of crumbs on the man's hand. "The curse has been bestowed upon thee. Now, you are it. Watch the skies; watch the trees. The birds are always watching." Sunny maintained eye contact for a few seconds too long.

Patting the man in a friendly manner one last time, he went to Kim's side. Kim took the initiative and hook her arms around his, making their way out of the circle. The crowd still glared at the man with the bag of bird food.

"What was that about?" Kim asked in a whisper.

"He asked about the eyepatch. I answered."

"…good. That guy is a pain."

"And there goes whatever niggling sense of guilt I felt." He held her arms tightly. "You deserve better."

"FOOD!" Kim suddenly said. "I'm hungry. You're hungry. Let's eat. That desserts' buffet calls to me."

"Still have that incorrigible sweet tooth?"

Kim snorted. "Big words. What are you? A poet?"

"Writer."

Kim blinked. "Really?"

"…I don't think our date at the coffee shop was enough. How about we talk more during dinner."

Kim froze. Specifically, she froze at the word 'date'. Surely it a was a careless choice of words, right? Right?

But then… would Sunny carelessly pick his words? Sunny was the silent type. The type that would rather not say anything if a subtle gesture sufficed. The one that was smirking at her.

"I don't think I like your sass, Sunny Yumeno," Kim warned. She narrowed her eyes. "You're lucky I still need you to keep away the vultures."

They arrived at the buffet. "Damn," Sunny said. "And here I thought you kept me around for my irresistible personality."

"Since when are you so… this?" Kim awkwardly gestured at Sunny.

"I've always been… this," Sunny gestures awkwardly at himself. "I'm just using words now. Turns out writers use those."

"The horrors," Kim deadpanned.

"I would have become a boxer had I known. By the time I realized, I was in too deep."

Kim finished filling her plate. She spared a glance at the dessert table. "Soon," she whispered. She faced Sunny, who was undecided between chicken and beef.

"Wish I had known this Sunny all those years ago. Wouldn't have peg you for such a nerd."

"Oh, I'm an irredeemable nerd," Sunny said. "I just know how to fake it. The eyepatch helps."

"They do say girls dig scars," Kim muttered. They reached a free table, away from the hubbub off the party.

"You say that like you don't."

"I like to think I'm above it."

"Damn. Maybe I shouldn't have gotten ahead of myself. Now I have to apologize to Basil for the years of trauma."

Kim's heart leapt a bit. "Why are you doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"Flirting," Kim muttered harshly.

Sunny looked away. "I'm just… don't… sorry," Sunny finally said. "I'm… just trying to sell the act."

Kim sighed. "Don't worry. Don't try so hard. I'm grateful you're doing this. There's no need to go above and beyond."

"I don't mind going above and beyond."

Kim chuckled. "Aubrey is right about you."

"Hmm?"

"You are reliable."

"…She says that?" Sunny was not convinced.

"She says you're a good listener. But I speak Aubreylle-"

"Aubreylle?" Sunny interrupted.

"Like Braille, but for Aubrey. Point is, it translates into you're reliable."

Sunny breathed in heavily. Then exhaled. "Thanks. I promise not to try too hard."

Kim smiled. "That's all I ask."

-o-

They arrived a Kim's apartment late.

"It's late for me."

"You're like a grandpa."

"Kel does say I'm an old soul in a young body. It's why I like prune juice."

"…You are disgusting."

"I try." Sunny smile. "It was a fun night. I liked messing with your colleagues."

"Too much," Kim accuses. "You’re lucky my bosses think you're funny."

"Old soul," Sunny reminded her. "I have a way with older people."

Kim rolled her eyes. "Goodnight, Sunny It was fun."

She opened the door and exited.

"Kim!"

She turned around. Sunny was leaning over the passenger's seat. "Kim, I… if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

"…Thanks, Sunny." In a spur of bravado, she blew him a kiss. "For the road."

She didn't wait to see Sunny's expression. She would probably die of embarrassment. Entering her apartment, she was met with the sight of Aubrey resting on the sofa… reading a book?

"Since when do you read?"

"Since I thought college was a bright idea." She flipped a page. "If I ever time travel, I'm killing younger me." She closed her book. "So… how was it?"

"It went great!" Kim dropped on the sofa. "Sunny's act was impeccable… hard to believe he's the same taciturn boy..."

"Time does wonders. Still… and act?"

Kim looked at Aubrey. The way she said that was… odd.

"What are you implying?"

Aubrey smirked. "Well… when's the second date?"

"There is none."

Aubrey snorted "Sunny plays even himself."

"What do you mean by that?" Kim asked again.

The pink-haired girl quickly swiped through her phone. She handed it to Kim. "That's a screenshot of a conversation between Sunny and Basil from when you called."

Kim read intently.

-o-

Sunny - 07:38  
Are spider bunnies terrifying?  
My editor thinks they're terrifying  
I need a second opinion

Basil - 07:38  
Is Hero. What you expect?

Sunny - 07:39  
A grown up opinion?  
From someone that has performed surgery before?  
What's up?

Basil - 07:39  
Aubrey is talking with Kim. Apparently, she needs a fake date for some work event

Sunny - 07:39  
I volunteer as tribute  
Fake it till u make it  
I've been waiting four years for this.

Basil – 07:40  
Wait, you have a thing for Kim?

Sunny – 07:41  
I have a type  
Girls capable of stepping on me  
I just happen to think Kim is cute while fitting the criteria  
Do me a solid  
Eye think you owe me at least that

Basil – 07:42  
…  
I'll ask

Basil – 07:50  
So… you now have a fake date with Kim  
Two weeks

Sunny – 07:51  
You're the brother I never wanted but I'm glad I have  
I forgive you for breaking the Bro Code with Aubrey  
You have my blessings. Go. Flaunt your man wings to Kelsey  
Be the beautiful human-swan abomination you were meant to be!

**You have muted this conversation for 8 hours**

-o-

Kim stared listlessly.

Aubrey smirked viciously. "So… are you calling him for a second date?"

Kim grabbed a cushion and screamed into it.

**Author's Note:**

> Alrite!
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this one shot. I nabbed this pair ASAP. It was easy. As the driving force behind the collab, I had first pick!
> 
> Anyhow, like always, I like to go over some of my writing choices:
> 
>  **Bushfire:** This fic takes place in the same AU as my fic Spitfire. Hence why Aubrey and Basil are an item. I also dipped a bit into another pairing happening in the background: Kel and Mincy (girl that draws), but that's a story for another day.
> 
>  **Setup:** The exact theme of the story, besides romance, wasn't decided until after I was halfway through the story. I needed to begin writing, and hoped for things to fall into place.
> 
>  **Kim the Programmer:** A bit of projecting. I'm a software developer myself and at the time of writing I was going through the pains of the job.
> 
>  **Lewd Handholding:** Actually based in a true story. There's a pair of Arknight fanart featuring Executor and Vermeil. The first shows their hands, well, holding, but like if Vermeil had felt asleep holding Executor's hand. The second also shows them holding hands… but Executor's are pining Vermeil's above her and the implication is pretty evident. My life was never been the same after that…
> 
>  **Sunny's dark humor:** I like writing Sunny as someone with a dark sense of humor. The idea for Sunny giving ridiculous explanations to losing an eye comes from the fic "Broken Mirror" by SomeSmallLegoBrick. What's written is fun, if you wanna check it out.
> 
>  **Starburst:** I hereby declare this to be the name of this ship. At the Discord we actually discussed the merits of Sundae, but Starburst came first and Kim is more addicted to candy than ice cream in the game. Still, Sundae was good for deciding the title.
> 
>  **Exactly 5k:** One of the limitations for this collab is that fics couldn't be longer than 5K words. So I took it as a challenge to make a fic exactly 5K words long. Different tools count words differently. I used AO3 word count to base my decision
> 
> Anyhow, that's all. Enjoy the rest of the fics in the collab if you haven't yet.


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